Paediatrics

The postings in Paediatrics commence after completion of the specialty postings in Clinical Medicine and Surgery.  The postings last 16 weeks but with an additional period of revision lasting 4 weeks and leading to the Final MBBS Examination in Paediatrics.

OBJECTIVES

These are:

1. To introduce students to the global principles and practice of Paediatrics with emphasis on the practice of Paediatrics in the tropics;
2. To equip students with the cognitive knowledge, interpersonal skills, technical skills and clinical judgement to achieve an adequate degree of competence in the practice of Paediatrics; and
3. To develop the student to have a good working relationship with all those involved in health care delivery and appreciate and understand this relationship.

Each student at the end of the course is expected to be able to use the skills he has acquired to:

• Obtain an accurate history;
• Perform a thorough physical examination on a child and demonstrate and interpret common abnormal physical signs; and
• Carry out simple side-room laboratory tests and request major laboratory tests and other ancillary investigations to verify his diagnosis.

The student is also expected to obtain the theoretical background to recognize diseases, formulate a reasonable diagnosis based on history and physical examination, confirm his diagnosis by selecting appropriate investigations, and have a sound knowledge of therapeutics to be able to treat his patient.